Richterskála

The Richter magnitude scale, often referred to as the Richter scale, is a logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes. It was developed by American seismologist Charles F. Richter in 1935. The scale quantifies the energy released at the earthquake's source.

Each whole number increase on the Richter scale represents a tenfold increase in the amplitude of the seismic waves recorded by a seismograph. This also corresponds to an approximate 32-fold increase in the energy released by the earthquake. For example, a magnitude 5 earthquake is about 32 times more energetic than a magnitude 4 earthquake and 1,024 times more energetic than a magnitude 3 earthquake (32 x 32).

The Richter scale was originally designed for earthquakes in Southern California and uses a specific type of seismograph. While widely known, it has largely been superseded by more modern scales, such as the moment magnitude scale (MMS), for calculating earthquake magnitudes globally. The MMS is considered a more accurate measure, especially for larger earthquakes, as it is directly related to the physical properties of the fault rupture, such as the area of the fault that slipped and the amount of slip.

Despite the adoption of the MMS, the Richter scale remains influential in public perception and media reporting of earthquakes due to its historical significance and familiarity. Magnitudes are typically reported as whole numbers and decimals, such as 6.8.